The transmission system of your Ford F-150 is connected to an onboard computer system to give information about malfunctioning errors.
What Does Trans Fault Mean on a Ford F-150? The Trans Fault in the Ford F-150 is a warning message, which appears on the dash screen with a large orange wrench sign. It illuminates when the computer system detects any issue in transmission components, low transmission fluid levels, dirty fluid, faulty shifting solenoid, faulty sensors, faulty control module, overheating, bad thermostat, electric problems, and mechanical failures.
It is necessary to reset your vehicle to fix this issue because it can also appear on the control module malfunctioning. Turn off the engine and restart it after 10 to 15 minutes to reset the system.
What is the meaning of the Trans Fault in a Ford F150?
It is the warning sign that illuminates on the Ford screen with a green light. It comes on your screen when the onboard computer system in your vehicle detects any fault or error in transmission components. However, you can see a larger wrench sign of orange color on the dash screen instead of the Trans fault msg.
You can see the message on the Ford F-150 screen because of faulty components. In addition, you can identify the situation from the delayed shifting, burning smell, and slipping or missing gears.
Causes of Trans Fault warning message on a Ford F-150
A Trans Fault warning sign with a red wrench illuminates the dash screen because of several causes. These problems lead to malfunctioning components, and you cannot adjust the speed of your Ford F-150 because of poor gear shifting.
Low levels of transmission fluid
Transmission fluid is present in vehicles with automatic transmission. It is different from motor oil and is red or green colored.
It allows smooth movement by reducing the friction between their metal parts. You can see a Trans Fault warning message or a larger orange-colored wrench on the dash screen when the computerized system detects low levels of fluid.
The fluid levels become low because of leakage of oil pans, broken seals, and cracked gaskets.
Dirty fluid
Transmission fluid becomes dirty over time because it keeps moving between the metal parts. Dirty fluid does not act as a good lubricant and increases the risk of damage.
It is not helpful to lubricate the metal parts properly, leading to a humming and clicking sound because of increased friction. Fluid becomes dirty because of age-related wear down of metal parts.
Worn-out parts shed metal, which is responsible for fluid contamination. It turns into gray, brown, and black color because of metallic contamination.
Changing its fluid is necessary for better efficiency. I prefer to change the fluid after every 50,000 miles depending on the driving conditions and frequency of use.
The issue with shifting solenoid
It is a mechanical component that controls the movement of transmission fluid between its parts.
It will work after receiving signals from the control module. A warning comes on your screen if the system detects an issue with this part.
Bad shifting solenoid leads to rough shifting and sucks gear in neutral. The solenoid becomes bad because of voltage supply issues and contaminated fluid that allows these to get stuck in open or closed positions.
Faulty sensors of the transmission system
The transmission system has input and output sensors to monitor the shaft speed while changing gears. These sensors are helpful to ensure the smooth shifting of gears by transferring the information to the control module.
This warning message appears on your screen because faulty sensors lead to the rough shifting of gears with a clicking noise.
These sensors become faulty because of age-related wear and tear and electric issues. TCM helps collect information from the various components to ensure smooth performance.
The control module can also become bad and cause a warning message on your Ford F-150 dashscreen.
Overheating of components
Overheating of these components can lead to complete failure and costly repairs. A Trans Fault message comes on your screen when the system detects the extreme temperature of its components.
You should not ignore the alert message and stop driving your truck. Moreover, you can also feel the smell of rubber burning because of overheated parts.
Their parts overheat because of hot weather conditions, heavy hauling, bad solenoids, and low fluid levels.
Bad thermostat
Ford F-150 engine compartment contains a thermostat for temperature maintenance, reducing the risk of overheating-related damages.
The thermostat can become bad because of electric issues, faulty sensors, and contaminated engine oil. A faulty thermostat significantly decreases the engine temperature and makes these cool.
Cool temperatures can negatively affect the transmission by decreasing the flow of transmission fluid. A reduced rate of fluid flow leads to delay and sluggish gear shifting.
Electric problems
A faulty electric system causes an interruption in the smooth shifting of gears, which causes the Trans Fault warning to illuminate on your screen.
These electric problems come because of loose and poorly connected wires. In addition, electric connections can also corrode over time and cause disturbance in the transfer of signals.
Their components stop functioning because of an interrupted power supply.
Mechanical damages
Wear and tear are also common on the transmission components, illuminating the warning message. The issue comes because of worn-out or dirty clutches.
In addition, these cannot function correctly because of cracked gaskets and seals. The damaged oil pan also causes leakage of its fluid.
The issue also comes because of clogged filters, which do not allow the proper lubrication of metal parts.
How do you reset the Trans Fault warning message on a Ford F150?
It is necessary to remove the Trans Fault warning sign from the pickup truck because it is not safe to drive with this sign. You should move towards the expert mechanic or dealerships for recognition of issues.
The onboard computer system saves the error codes to recognize the exact problem. It also saves the error codes that give information about the faulty components.
These error codes represent the specific problems. Attach the OBD-II scanner with your Ford F-150 truck to see error codes on their screen.
Dealerships and expert mechanics read these error codes and resolve the issue. In addition, sometimes it comes on the screen because of the control module malfunctioning.
Turning off your vehicle and engine to reset the system is better. Turn on the engine after approximately 10 minutes, and you can see this warning sign or orange wrench disappear from the screen.
You need scanner tools if it remains illuminated on the screen after resetting the system.
Is it safe to drive your Ford F150 with a Trans Fault message?
It is not safe to drive your Ford F-150 with a Trans Fault message because it can worsen the issue and increase repair costs.
Avoid driving with this sign because it can affect the vehicle’s overall performance. In addition, you cannot change the speed because of poor and delayed shifting of gears.
Due to faulty parts, these components require more time to shift from lower to higher gears. You can identify the issue from the slipping gear and time lag while shifting gears.
Moreover, you can also feel a burning smell because low fluid levels cause the burning of the clutch.
Once, I was traveling with a friend, and suddenly, we heard a humming and clicking sound. I asked him to stop the F-150 truck and check the brakes, transmission, and engine parts to decrease the risk of significant damage.
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